A MAN accused of stealing animals from Birdland Animal Park in Batemans Bay pleaded not guilty to a raft of charges and lost his bid to prevent NSW Police carrying out a DNA test when he appeared in court on Monday.
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Trent William John Lovegrove, 27, formerly of Batemans Bay, appeared in Batemans Bay Local Court by audio visual link from Wellington Correctional Centre on June 29 charged with nine offences.
Because of Lovegrove’s refusal to consent to a DNA test, NSW Police made an application to carry out a forensic procedure, namely a cheek swab, on the defendant.
Magistrate Doug Dick granted the application and told Lovegrove he was satisfied, on the balance of probabilities, there were reasonable grounds to grant the application.
“A sample can either prove or disprove your involvement,” he said.
When Mr Dick ordered the swab for July 6, he warned Lovegrove if he didn’t co-operate, force could be used to take the swab.
The forensic test results will be compared to DNA found at crime scenes at Birdland and at Surf Beach.
Lovegrove pleaded not guilty to two charges of breaking and entering and theft of equipment less than $60,000 in value from sheds on George Bass Drive, Surf Beach, in June last year.
On alleged offences that occurred at Birdland in September 2014, Lovegrove pleaded not guilty to one charge of buy/sell/possess protected fauna, one of break, enter and theft in value less than $60,000, two counts of malicious damage of less than $2000 each, one of entering enclosed lands without lawful excuse, one of larceny, and one of taking and driving a conveyance without the owner’s consent.
Lovegrove was arrested at Alectown on March 3 and has been in custody since then.
Mr Dick said he would not list the matters for hearing until the forensic results were received and adjourned the case to Batemans Bay Local Court on August 10 to hear the results.
On August 3, Lovegrove will appear before Parkes Local Court on a drugs charge.